Best & Worst airports you have ever been in?

[Papa Deuce]

Take it anyway you choose. Our station did a story on how our Philadelphia airport is one of the worst in the country. I haven't had many problems at all here, though.

Again, best or worst as you see fit....

Best ( Tie ) Savannah and Las Vegas.... Savannah's was nicely done..... and well Las Vegas is Vegas BABY!!!!. I get there and my heart beats faster!

Worst ( USA )... Charlotte. I actually like the airport. But we have had numerous delays there and it is an EXPENSIVE airport to fly from.

But my alll time worst was Belize International. It is like 110 degrees with no air conditioning. And you pass through customs with numerous military personnel eyeing you up... machine guns at their sides! ( But Belize itself is AWESOME! )

 

[kitn]

For me the best is the Minneapolis/St Paul airport.
Any small town airports tie for the worst

 

[Free4Life11]

Best: Omaha -- it's so fast, your just zip through security. Midway -- they've got Southwest and it's really nice since they re-did it.

Worst: Detroit -- ok it's a BEAUTIFUL airport, but every time I've been there I've had connections there were SO far away, felt like I had to walk a mile. Just too dang big. Also, this is where I was stuck for a few hours during a winter storm.

 

[MinnieM21]

Best: My hometown airport, PDX (Portland, OR). It's a nice, clean airport and you don't have to walk 5 million miles to get to your gate.

Worst: LAX (Los Angeles, CA) The chairs were broken, there was no where to sit, incredibly crowded.....not to mention they deflated my Mickey balloon!

 

[LuvTigger]

Hmm, this is kinda tough since I am always quick to judge airports!

I fly in and out of Las Vegas every year, and I really like that airport. Last year I went to Harrisburg, PA, and I thought it was pretty nice, I guess since it's so new. I'm also pretty proud of our airport here in Honolulu.

There are a few airports I was pretty impressed with that were just stopovers, mainly because of the selection of shops and restaurants (which can be really important if the layover is long!). Cincinnati was the biggest surprise for me, I felt like I was in a mall! I recently went to Newark and didn't mind the layover there as well.

I just returned from Providence, RI, and I didn't like leaving out of that airport. The security lines are not layed out very well. I also thought it was dumb that the entrance to the only sit-down restaurant was located outside the security gate! I like to be inside the terminal so I don't have to worry about the length of time it takes to get thru security, and I figured if there was a sit down restaurant on the outside, there must be one on the inside too, but nope!

I'm not real crazy about O'Hare either. Actually, maybe I shouldn't blame the airport -- it could be the airline. I've only been there on stopovers, but the last few times, they had a bunch of flights departing within just a few minutes of each other, all next to each other in what seemed like the smallest gates possible! It didnt help that the people announcing the boarding wouldn't announce which flight was boarding, so everyone at the surrounding gates started to stand up thinking it was their flight.

Great thread, it'll serve as a great resource for future travel!

 

[Free4Life11]

I agree with you on Providence! It is a nice looking airport, but the security set up is just BAD! The longest security line I've ever been in was at Providence.

hate how Ohare always seems to have construction. I was there this past summer and the terminal I was in looked so ghetto -- ilooking old, poorly laid out, and seemed to be a lot of construction going on. And the sitting area had some ridiclous glass ceiling setup -- not cool because all the seats on the shade were taken. Just go with a real roof, please. Also, it's like a maze trying to find the train -- so many signs and it just never seems to end.

 

[#1MMFan]

The four I like best are O'Hare, Philadelphia, Gatwick and Orlando.Am ambivalent to BWI - I never seem to see much of it, but I have to say we did have the NICEST security guard (female) search our bags. She actually thanked US for being pleasant!!! I'm not fussed on LAX. Pearson in Toronto is okay, but a little in need of TLC, and YVR (Vancouver) is clean, but there's not much there. Newark, NJ is again clean, and the view of NYC is stunning, but it had us searching for our gate for ages, and there was little in the way of decent eating places.
I definitely don't like Heathrow at all. It has to be the worst.
Oh hang on, I forgot all those Mediterranean airports I used to go through - they are the pits!!!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Best -- Atlanta, but that's maybe because I'm so familiar with it. I also like Cincinnati, O'Hare, and Orlando. Great amenities and easy to navigate.

Worse -- Midway, but I should say this is circa 1997 before they made what I understand are some major improvements. Back then it seemed like a third world airport in a major US city. I wasn't impressed with LAX or DFW. The latter was definitely hard to navigate. It's been a while since I've flown into Philadelphia, but I don't remember being very impressed with that airport either. Denver has a very nice airport but it's so faaaaaaaaaaaaar away from the city.

Papa, you ought to ask this on the Transportation board and see if the responses are similar or different to what you see here on Community.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Thought I would add DW's worst airport - Kansas City. A couple of years she had to fly in and out of there and said it was the worst. The bathrooms and vending machines/food service places are separated from the gates by a clear wall, and the security checkpoint is in between. So if you already have gone through security and are waiting for your plane and decide you need to make a pit stop or want to get a drink, you have to wait in the security line again. While she was there she sprained her ankle and they made her unwrap it to inspect it both the first time she went through and the second time she went through to use the rest room. Took her 30 minutes to get through the security inspection both times

 

[golfgal]

I like the smaller regional airports. They are small and easy to get around. They usually aren't very crowded, either. I like the airport in Ft. Meyers. We have been through there a couple times. Las Vegas is easy to get around in as is San Diego. Minneapolis/St. Paul is good for me because I know my way around. I like to connect through Denver on United because there is a really good Taco shop in that concourse.

I flew out of Laguardia once, many, many years ago and it was filthy and crowded. I don't know if that has changed, but that was the "worst" one I have been in.

 

[powellrj]

I was going to say midway too. We have been in some 3rd world countries that were on par with that one. I have to add that the last time we were there was about 10 years ago and I am sure its much better.

 

[golfgal]

I forgot about the airport in Cancun. That one is a little mangy.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Oh man, you got an hour?

The worst: ATLANTA Blech! I absolutely despise this place, but don't have a choice. If I want to fly anywhere I have to use it.

Before you ask, I can't fly out of Chattanooga, which is a whopping 30 minutes away, because all they have are the plans you board from outside, up a long stairway. Know what I mean? (There's a word for that, just having a brain fart this morning). Being a paraplegic, that is out of the question.

I could fly out of Knoxville, 1 hour away, but you change plans in Atlanta anyway (going to WDW) so I'd rather go the extra 30 minutes and go to Atlanta and save the trouble of switching planes.

I could fly out of Nashville, but it's almost a 3 hour drive and you have to travel over stinkin' Monteagle Mountain. I'll pass thanks.

The best: Ahhhh, Orlando. That place rocks!!

 

[SDFgirl]

The Pittsburgh airport is nice. There are a lot of shops and the food there is very reasonably priced...not your traditional overpriced airport food.

Worst (for me) is Raleigh/Durham airport. It's not so bad for a quick layover, but I was stuck there once for 7 hours while my plane kept getting delayed. I was so bored and uncomfortable...

 

[Laura]

The best: Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. A lovely, open-air setting on a lava field next to the ocean. No jetways; you deplane via stairs.
Other favorites are Heathrow, Orlando, Honolulu, Phoenix, Seattle and NY-LaGuardia. Generally, I love airports. I think it's fun to people watch at the terminal, imagining where everyone's going and why.

The worst: Pittsburgh--yuck!
Other despised airports: LAX, Newark, Chicago-O'Hare (I like the airport itself but I've mostly had bad experiences there), Philadelphia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Atlanta.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We liked the Vancouver airport when we were there.

As for worst, depending on which catagory you are looking for it would probably be a different airport, but overall we hate the Atlanta one the most.

 

[Nutsy]

Worst: LAX (Los Angeles, CA) The chairs were broken, there was no where to sit, incredibly crowded.....not to mention they deflated my Mickey balloon!

I'd have to agree here.........not enough seating in the lounges and very hard to find your way from the domestic to International without going round in circles.

 

[poohbear1029]

Atlanta is HORRIBLE!!!! We have never been there without a horrible delay or other mishap! Which means we will probably spend some quality time there tomorrow as we are flying through there.

Hartford, CT I like just because its easy. Same with Columbia, SC. Small, easy to get through, etc.

I also hate Logan in Boston! They always have it such a mess with all the contruction....its poorly laid out, etc. Again, we'll be going through there tomorrow too!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

An honest question of curiosity for those who said Atlanta was their worse: why do you dislike the Atlanta airport so much? I've read comments on here before about ATL but just wondering why people don't like that airport.

 

[poohbear1029]

An honest question of curiosity for those who said Atlanta was their worse: why do you dislike the Atlanta airport so much? I've read comments on here before about ATL but just wondering why people don't like that airport.

I despise it because it is the black hole of flights. Like I said in my post, we have never flown in/out of there without significant delay, often impacting other aspects of our travel. Obviously its a good airport cause you can get a flight to anywhere....if you can get the plane to leave!!!


I should have also added to my other post that I like Orlando....just cause it makes me happy!!!

I should add that I love vacationing and being at my travel destination, but I typically do not enjoy the travel process!